bells
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of bells
1965–70; by shortening of the full phrase, as in shorts from short pants
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
JW: A lot of the money we were raising was going straight into restoration, a stained-glass window here, the bells in the bell tower there, a broken monument restored.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
“This is the door to the ballroom,” he said, pointing to the future entrance to the $400 million addition to the White House, elaborating on all the bells and whistles the building will have.
From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026
That only a handful of the largest megacap private companies are choosing to go public each year should ring alarm bells in Washington, because it means fewer opportunities for the average investor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
A survey by the polling firm Datafolha published on April 11 sent alarm bells ringing throughout the Lula camp.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
The goose opened his mouth to speak, but the station bells started ringing.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
